sticking to your principles

[John Horvath <h8801joh@ella.hu>]

On Fri, 3 May 1996, Shelly SILVER wrote:
> What principles are you referring to?  The principle behind the work?  The
> principle of getting out the work?  The principle that one has to eat to
> continue making more work?  The principle that one should not allow oneself
> to be exploited?  Please be more specific.
> 

The principles I'm referring to are the reasons you decide to do the work 
you do. If it is for the money, go for the cash and hold out for the 
highest bidder. If it is for the art, then do it for that. It is without 
doubt that artists are exploited ("rock and roll is here to pay") but you 
can still fihght against this exploitation by making the audience, who is 
as much of a vicitm, aware of it -- albeit in an encrypted sort of way. I 
guess this is why the net has attracted the attention it has. For the 
artists who wishes nothing more than to get out his/her message, it 
bypasses the mafia and "spotlight attraction" that defines the artist's 
message, or modifies it at very best. Unfortunately, there is a danger 
that this relatively open medium will soon become partly closed and 
regulated like all forms of mass media -- controlled by mafia magnates 
that have nothing more than dollar signs in their eyes. I guess what is 
best to do now is to suck all you can out of the opportunity while it 
lasts; it's good to plan for the future and think of posterity, but in 
the end it's what you get out now which counts the most. Some of the 
greatest artists and thinkers had to starve for their ideals. Although we 
have become poorer in this respect, because these individuals have given 
us less than what was available, it nonetheless raises the value of 
that which did get through.

I hope this qualifies my statement a bit. If not, at least it will 
contribute to more feedback.

Best of luck,
John